Home   News   Article

NHS Highland failure on cancer treatment waiting times


By Gregor White

Easier access to your trusted, local news. Subscribe to a digital package and support local news publishing.



Click here to sign up to our free newsletters!
NHS Highland has missed waiting time targets in a number of areas.
NHS Highland has missed waiting time targets in a number of areas.

NHS Highland has again missed Scottish Government targets for cancer treatment waiting times – with the knock-on effect of Covid-19 only making delays worse.

The health authority’s annual operating plan performance report revealed that, along with waiting times for cancer treatment, other areas to fall behind were orthopaedic and pain services, mental health, GP access, outpatient and A&E waiting times.

Health board bosses say recruitment remains an issue and admit there may be no choice now but to seek external help outside the board, including sending some people to Glasgow for operations.

“No doubt the Covid-19 pandemic will also have a big impact on our waiting times, but I think it is important to say that it also brings an opportunity to do things differently.”
Gaener Rodger

That has worried board members and MSP Edward Mountain who fears that many Highlanders will have no idea, after a diagnosis, when they will start receiving treatment.

Non-executive director Gaener Rodger said: “Looking at the report, as a board we have performed poorly on all of our waiting time standards and the assessment part of the paper pans out some of the reasons and the actions being taken.

“I think we can say that the worst one we are performing in is the treatment time guarantee. So after diagnosis and treatment they are supposed to receive treatment within 12 weeks but at the moment only about 60 per cent of people were receiving treatment within that 12-week period.

“No doubt the Covid-19 pandemic will also have a big impact on our waiting times, but I think it is important to say that it also brings an opportunity to do things differently.”

Mr Mountain has pressed the board on the issue of waiting times in the past and believes it is a situation that has gone on for too long.

“For a long time NHS Highland has failed to meet the patient treatment time guarantee,” he said.

“Lockdown meant operations had to be cancelled to protect the NHS and patients.

“Highlanders waiting for treatment now have absolutely no idea when they will get treatment. Patients do deserve a clear plan from NHS Highland setting how and when operations can begin.

“Indeed these are the details that I asked NHS Highland for, over a month ago, and still have not received.”

Katherine Sutton, interim chief operating officer, said: “There are a number of things we can do to help try and improve this situation and obviously with the advent of Covid-19 we are further challenged because that capacity is not there to deliver now in terms of infection control and procedures.

“We are also linking through the Scottish health board area, through the Scottish Government access teams, looking at the potential for additional operating capacity within the central belt through the Golden Jubilee National Hospital.”

News from Ross-shire


Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More